Kayaking and Tsunami safety questions

The likelihood of this happening is a matter of vigorous debate

It also looks like they based their wave height predictions on pacific ocean conditions.  The east coast has a very large continental shelf, which would wear away at the energy/size of the wave before it hit.  Things don't go from several hundred feet deep to beach like they do out here.  The east coast continental shelf extends between 50 and 200 miles depending on where you are on the coastline.  West coast is generally less than 25.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/04/03/japan.tsunami.captain/index.html?iref=NS1

nice find, Lee. Shows a quick thinking brave man with a generous heart. So, i guess i learn to paddle faster, banjo's or not....

That sounds the shot in "The Perfect Storm" where they rode up the face of the huge wave.  Only the boat didn't have enough to make it.
Good chance my lil kayak would go for a tumble, too!

Good chance my lil kayak would go for a tumble, too!

I would most certainly agree.  The dude talked about his boat having to punch through some breaking waves on the top of the massive wave.  Sounds to me like a kayak wouldn't fare well.  My guess though is that those waves breaking on the top of the large wave may have been the ambient swells closing out due to the sheer momentum of the large wave.  If you were able to survive through a few closeouts of the ambient swells on the top and then do the same for the four or so subsequent tsunami waves, you may actually fare better than if you were hanging out on shore at sea-level when the S.O.B. hits again and again.

On the other hand, I'm not sure if that would actually work in every case given that the way tsunami waves travel depends on how the actual earthquake happened.  Guess I'm just thinkin out loud...

More info on the Oregonian website today:

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/04/what_if_japans_tsunami_happened_here_experts_say_oregon_coast_is_not_as_prepared_as_it_should_be.html

20-25 minutes.  In my mind that means if you are unfortunate enough to be a half-mile out on the ocean at that time, you'd better sprint to the deepest water you can.  That amount of time might give you enough time to get back to shore, but probably not enough time to get to over 80 ft. in elevation depending on where on the coast you are.

Under those circumstances, you could easily paddle / pedal a mile or more in that time.

Sorry, my bad.  Yes, you would have time to get back to shore.  My point I guess is I'd rather be in deep water though than scrambling to find the nearest big bluff to climb.

Oh I was actually thinking paddle a mile OUT.   

Oh I was actually thinking paddle a mile OUT.   

I figured, just realized my calculation mistake right after you posted.

You can see or feel the tidal change on the lowly Willy.  As a retired sailor (boats not military) the Willy slaps you in the face.Have you ever felt the slow undulating from downstream, or the feeling that you were lifted, that's the tidal influx.  Regardless of weather patterns, you will feel it.  Physicists rock but I am a lowly engineer